Heritage Episode I: The Oldest Enemy
by Worldisquiethere
Summary: In the year 312 ABY, there is peace in the Galactic Alliance. But when a mysterious message from the long-lost Empire is received, the Alliance finds out they are in danger by the people they trusted the most. When brothers take arms against each other, its going to take a member of the missing Skywalker family to fight...or else lose the entire galaxy in the process.
1. Prologue

_Author's Note: I know it's a boring beginning, but try taking a look at the next chapter! I promise, it gets better! _

**Prologue**

"Um, hello? Is this-yes, there we go." Sitting in front of a glamorously adorned hexagonal box sat a young silver haired female. "It is the year 312 ABY. I am Jedi Historian Ismene Ytri recording this holocron for the future of the Jedi Order."

The young female ran her fingers through her silky hair. She let out a soft sigh and murmured, "Where to begin?" Ytri ran her fingers down the holocron her Jedi Master had given her. Ytri was being trained in the ways of the Jedi Historian, like her master. She had been given the holocron with the instruction to try and record something for the benefit of the Order.

"Well, approximately three hundred and forty years ago, the Galactic Republic was dissolved by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and remade into the Galactic Empire." Ytri began, not entirely sure where she was heading with her thought. "The Empire was cruel to its people and as a result of its action, a large rebellion group called the Alliance to Restore the Republic was born. Under the leadership of Mon Mothma, Jan Dodonna, and Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, the Rebel Alliance was able to throw off the chains of oppression that the Empire had created. After destroying two Death Star superweapons and killing the two Sith Lords, Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, the Rebel Alliance founded the New Republic."

Ytri glanced at her chrono, wondering how long her master planned on having her record the histories, "After fifteen years of hardships, including defeating several warlords and men like Grand Admiral Thrawn and a resurrected Emperor, the New Republic and what became the Imperial Remnant signed a treaty that ended the conflict between the two powers. At the same time, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker began to train the foundation of the New Jedi Order. By 25 ABY, the Order numbered nearly one hundred when the Yuuzhan Vong invasion began."

Ytri, now fully immersed in what she was doing, flipped through some flimsiplast records looking for some of her notes she had taken during one of her training session with her master.

"Most contemporary accounts, as well as accounts in the decades of reconstruction, cite the invasion as one of the most destructive events of the galaxy, only surpassed by the all-out battle of the Sith-Imperial war and subsequent Second Imperial Civil War. The Yuuzhan Vong War brought on several changes to the galaxy, notably the establishment of the Masters' Council in the Jedi Order and the reformation of the New Republic into the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances. Over the next decades, the Galactic Alliance grew in power, along with the Jedi Order. The Masters' Council became the Jedi High Council and Master Skywalker officially took the title of Grand Master. Although several skirmishes did break out, notably the extremely damaging Second Galactic Civil War and the Lost Tribe of the Sith Emergence, the galaxy did extremely well."

Ytri picked scrolled through her datapad, looking for the info she need.

"However, as well as the Alliance did, the Empire did just as well. After his marriage to Skywalker-descendant Jaina Solo Fel, Jagged Fel, the one-time head of state, retook the title of Emperor in 48 ABY and began rebuilding the Empire. With the help of his wife, Emperor Fel established the Imperial Knights, a heretic group of force-users appointed to serve the emperor. Under the guidance of Fel and his successors, the Empire rose in prominence once again."

Ytri forgot what she was doing. It no longer felt like work. As got into the history, she remembered why she had decided to chose the path of a historian.

"In 122 ABY, the Ossus project began as a way to repair world affected by the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. We now know that the project was sabotage by the Sith, but at the time, many citizens were outraged by the failure of the project and its impact. AS many systems threatened to secede from the GA, the Empire took the opportunity to attack the Alliance and take back control. Although the emperor of the time, Roan Fel, was opposed to war, he went along with the war for political purposes. The Empire allied themselves with the One Sith, a Sith order founded by Darth Krayt. With their Sith allies, the Empire was able to not only conquer the Alliance, but initiate another Jedi Purge. Although not nearly as effective as Palpatine's purge, most surviving Jedi went into hiding while the Alliance Remnant was forced stop the fighting. However, the Empire was betrayed by the Sith and the Empire was split. After nearly a decade, the Alliance Remnant and Fel's Empire-in-Exile allied together and, with the aid of the Jedi from the Hidden Temple, toppled the Krayt's Empire. Also playing a large part in this was the former Jedi apprentice and pirate, Cade Skywalker. Skywalker defeated Darth Krayt, whom most Jedi agree was one of the most powerful Sith Lords, in the same class as Palpatine and Darth Bane."

Ytri scratched her head as she looked at the next set of documents. The mess of information was difficult for the young Jedi to sort in order.

"For a brief period, the Galactic Federation Triumvirate was formed as a coalition between the Jedi, the Alliance Remnant, and Fel's Empire. However, after three years, the Empire pulled out of Imperial Space and suddenly left the known galaxy. To this day we do not know where the Empire disappeared to or why. According to some sources, Empress Marasiah Fel had a meeting with Cade Skywalker on Bastion the night before the Empire left the galaxy. These same sources say that this meeting was also the reason for the disappearance of the Skywalker bloodline. At the same time as the Empire left the galaxy, Cade Skwalker, along with relatives in the Hapes Consortium disappeared."

Ytri looked over her shoulder. She could have nearly sworn there was someone there. Slowly turning back to the holocron, she caught a small tribe of gokobs scurrying across a pair of looming trees. Forgetting supposed onlooker, Ytri continued her recording.

"Since their disappearance in 141 ABY, the Skywalker clan hasn't been heard from. Nor has the Empire. But we've prospered in that time. After the Empire left, the triumvirate was short a member, allowing for the reestablishment of the Galactic Alliance. Over the next one hundred and seventy-five years, the Alliance flourished. Although the Chiss and the Hapes Consortium, which had been under the GA before the Sith-Imperial War, did not rejoin the Alliance, many new systems came under the wing of the GA. Now the GA rivals the power of the Old Republic in its glory days. The Jedi, too, have become aides to the Alliance, returning the position the Order held in the Old Republic. And…"

Ytri got up and searched the room. She knew what she wanted to say, but was not going to say it with anyone around. After a cursory inspection of the room, Ytri sat back down in her chair and followed the instructions of her master.

"A Jedi is never unarmed," her master would say, "widen your perceptions; feel the Force flow through you."

Ytri breathed and could feel no immediate danger. She closed her notes and, in a near whisper, continued.

"The New Jedi Order is different from the Old Order, as well. The lifting of the restriction on marriage has allowed our growth to boom to nearly its size in the days before the Palpatine's Purge. But the families have also grown. Although most Jedi won't say it, the large and powerful families seem to have more control in the Order. I don't think most Jedi see it, but I've seen the histories. We weren't always like this. The Jedi used to be forces for good in the galaxy, but now I am not so sure. Many are demanding _payment _now. I have read the recordings of Master Skywalker in his final days. This isn't what he wanted. And I am not sure it's what I want either."  
Ytri jumped in her seat. The gokobs scurried across a branch quickly. A small shiver ran up Ytri's spine that made her hairs on her neck stand up. But she continued.

"And most recently, Chief of State Trell has been assassinated a currently unknown force. The Jedi have been contacted by the GA to investigate. But I fear for the GA. After such a long period of peace, an act like this assassination could cause a stirring in the Senate that could very well destabilize the government, albeit for a short time. And worse still…Wori-Ky has received another vision through the Force. Dark times are coming, is all she will say.

Ytri was too on edge to continue. She closed her datapad and swept her documents and filed them away. Ready to leave the small chamber for her living quarters, Ytri picked up the holocron. She ran her finger through her silvery hair one more time and breathed into the holocron, "We could really use a Skywalker…"


	2. Chapter 1

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

**S****TAR WARS**

**Heritage Episode I**

**THE OLDEST ENEMY**

**It is a time of peace for the galaxy. For nearly one hundred**

**and seventy-five years, the GALACTIC FEDERATION**

**OF FREE ALLIANCES has maintained order.**

**With the disappearance of the Darth Krayt's One Sith,**

**the NEW JEDI ORDER has prospered.**

**However, recently the Jedi Knights, who have long**

**been known as the protectors of the**

**peace, have grown selfish. Many Knights are now**

**demanding payment for their actions and **

**retribution for their contribution to the citizens**

**of the galaxy.**

**Recent events have also shaken many. The Chief of **

**State of the Alliance was assassinated **

**by an unknown force.**

**En route to Borderion, several senators**

**are have come to appoint Hirim Tam to the position**

**of Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance…**

**Chapter 2**

In the dead of space, approaching the planet Borderion flew a large crusier flying at sublight speed. The sublight engines roared as the Alliance cruiser began its approach on the looming green planet. The Expansionist Region planet was bearing the future of the Galactic Alliance government.

"This is Galactic Alliance cruiser _Belkadan _requesting permission to land."

"_Belkadan_, this is Bor City Central Command. Requesting the nature of your trip?"

The Alliance naval officer on the cruiser end of the comm was flabbergasted. "I am sorry Bor City, I don't think I am at liberty to divulge our business here. May we please enter the atmosphere?"

"I am sorry, _Belkadan_," the scratchy voice from Bor City replied, "standard planet procedure. All vessels entering Borderion must divulge their accompaniment and intent on our planet."

The naval officer scrunched his nose in annoyance, "I understand Bor City, but I am afraid I am not authorized to give you that information."

Bor City responded with the same frustration in his voice, "Then get me someone who is."

The officer sighed and said into the comm system, "Standby."

The officer stood up and climbed the small set of steps that led to the main section of the bridge. He reluctantly adopted a formal military stance and saluted the commander of the ship. "Captain Neall, the city is requesting to know the nature of our visit on the people on board."

The old captain raised a gray eyebrow. A member of the Alliance Navy for twenty three standard years, the captain had little patience for…well, most things.

"And why do they need to know that?" Neall asked roughly.

The officer wiped off a bit of spit that Neall had accidently launched towards him, "Well, sir, they say it is standard policy. Intended to ward off smugglers, if I were to guess."

"Fine, what do you need me for?"

"Er, sir, I don't have permission to tell them the nature of our arrival."

Neall moved his hand to his mustache and then to his chest. He ripped off one of the medals he wore under his commander's jacket and threw it at the officer's head. "There, you have permission."

The officer rubbed the red spot that had formed where the medal hit his forehead. "The truth, sir?"

The officer was already heading back to the comm station when Neall began to look for another medal to throw at him.

"Bor City? This is Alliance Cruiser _Belkadan_ reporting accompaniment and purpose."

"_Belkadan_, this is Bor City. We are receiving."

"_Belkadan _is currently sporting a crew of seven hundred and twenty five men, as well as thirty two passengers."

"Can you identify the passengers?"

"Transmitting now."

After a long pause, Bor Prime gasped and responded, "You're carrying the entire Advisory Council?"

Knowing there was no point in denying the truth now that the city had a list of the passengers, the officer confirmed the query.

"Right, then. Is your ship currently armed?"

The officer glanced towards the commander again before responding, "Alliance ships are always armed."

"We are going to have to ask you to shut down your weapons system."

"Excuse, me but that is unacceptable."

"I'm sorry sir, it's standard-"

"Policy, right. Standby again." The officer looked up to Neall and decided against asking for permission to disarm. Instead, the officer leaned to his right to a fellow officer and said, "Order just came to disarm the weapons systems."

"Yes, sir."

The officer turned back to his station. "Bor City, we have disarmed the weapons systems."

"Understood _Belkadan_. Lastly, you intent on Bor City?"

The officer bit his lip and then resolved to expound upon their purpose. The whole galaxy would know in a matter of standard hours, anyway. "We've come for Senator Hirim Tam. He's just been appointed as the Alliance's newest Chief of State. So may we dock?"

"Are you headed for our city?"

"Yes, the governmental district."

"Docking Bay 121, Jan Spaceport."

"Thank you, Bor City." Although the officer spoke in his normal voice, he rolled his eyes while severing the connection with the city. "Captain, we're clear for landing."

"Good," Captain Neall spat, "take us into the atmosphere."

Neall brought the comlink around his wrist up to his mouth, "Senators? We will be touching down on the surface in approximately one half hour."

The message was received in the rear of the cruiser, in a lounge specifically created for ambassadorial relations. In this lounge sat six life forms. One of these life forms, an elderly Caamasi tapped the comm station that Neall's report had just come though in response. He then closed the transmission and waved to one of his fellow senators, "Please, send for my nurse."

"Is there something wrong, Senator A'datac?" asked a human Senator from New Alderaan.

"The trip has been longer than I had expected, Senator Antilles." responded A'datac. "I am afraid this old heart isn't one for long voyages these days."

"Of course, Senator." Antilles said. Antilles stood up and promptly exited the room.

A'datac rested his head against the white pillows that lined the couches of the room. His couch was one of four, all put together to form a square in the center of the room. Farther towards the wall, were several armchairs, occupied by four Senators. One of these senators, a female human with fair hair and even fairer skin, leaned over her white armchair to an aide. She whispered smothering in his ear and the aide promptly exited the room.

"I've sent for Senator Farr." announced the female senator.

"Where has he been?" asked another human female, this one with dark hair and regal splendor to her.

"In his quarters, _Athos_." The female said her colleague name through gritted teeth. The female, Surrentria Kaal of Fondor, was most often butting heads with Athos.

"Ugh, I still do not know what a thing like him is doing in the Advisory Council." groaned Athos.

Feigning ignorance, Kaal asked in her nicest voice, "Why, Senator, whatever do you mean?"

In what Kaal perceived as the most pretentious Coruscanti accent, Athos responded "Oh, cut it, Kaal. You know just as well as I do that a member of his species has no business being here."

Kaal was about to answer when the doors reopened to show the very man they were talking about. Standing at two meters tall, the senator from Rodia had purplish skin and a slopping forehead that created a show over dark sacks under his small eyes. His eyes stood up like bats and his black hair, longer than most of his species, cascaded past his shoulders and down to the center of his back. An almost abnormality for his species, Farr's face was mostly unmarred, the only detectable mark being his crooked nose. He wore long, deep red robes that, although perhaps partially meant to convey his position, covered the scars that lined most of his body.

"Are we here?" asked the Yuuzhan Vong male.

"Yes," said Kaal with a genuinely kind voice, "Captain Neall just sent us the message. We will be arriving on the surface in about a half hour."

Farr looked like he was about to speak once more when the entire ship shuttered and a large groaning sound came from somewhere below. All the senators were rocked roughly, those not already sitting down, fell to the floor. Farr was the only one who didn't fall, his body attuned to all types of discomfort, ranging from mild disturbances to white hot searing pain.

Farr's eye sacks bulged in momentary confusion and then he briskly walked to the couches in the center of the room. Leaning over A'datac, who seemed to be nursing a small ache in his hands, Farr pressed down on the comm station and asked, "Captain Neall? This is Senator Farr. What just happened?"

Back on the bridge, Captain Neall had just finished barking (not to mention spitting) orders to his subordinates.

"Senators, it appears we've come under attack!"

Farr responded calmly, "Who is attacking us?"

Neall leaned over to the men other men on the deck below him, "Strad! Do we have identification on the attackers?"

The officer named Strad wiped the captain's spit off of his face and replied, "Captain, we are being assaulted by a twelve _Lamed_-class starfighters; a full squadron, sir."

A second wave of destruction hit the ship. Neall clutched the railing next to him as the ship groaned.

"Kriff!" Neall spat.

"Do you have any starfighters in the hold?" said Farr across the comlink again.

"Senator, this is a cruiser meant for diplomacy. The only weapons we have are the ones that the ship provides."

"I understand. Then can you use those against the attackers?" Farr asked.

"We're trying." Neall said. He turned again to his crew and yelled, "Why aren't we using the weapons systems?"

"Sir," the officer that had been talking with the city stood up from his station, "we've disabled our weapons systems."

"What?!" Neall face turned a deep red color.

Another shutter ripped through the cruiser. This one was significantly stronger than the first and the scorching of the hull could be heard above their heads. "Bor City asked us to."

"And you complied?" Neall said, entering into a dangerous rage. His nostrils began to flare and his face changed from red to an unsightly purple color.

"Yes, sir, you told me to-"

Neall's look of rage was enough to shut the officer up. Neall turned off the comlink with Kaal and pocketed the device. He stepped down to the deck the officers were operating the ship on. Neall clenched his fists behind his back and leaned in close to the officer's face. Neall moved until his mustache brushed the officer's nose and then in a whisper said, "How long will it take to restart the weapons system?"

"Er, ten minutes, sir?"

"Make it five." Neall pushed the officer aside, and took control of the officer's station.

"Bor City, this is Captain Rik Neall of the _Belkadan_. We have fallen under attack by unknown instigators!"

"We are sorry to hear that, _Belkadan_."

A larger yet explosion detonated above the ship. The shields over the hull waved momentarily before restoring themselves again. The hull of the ship had already suffered several direct hits and the ship was wining under the damage.

"Sorry?!" exclaimed Neall, "You better get a squad of fighters up here and fast!"

"I am sorry, but we cannot mobilize a squadron that fast."

If it were possible for Neall face to grow a deeper color of purple, it did. "Then get me someone who CAN." The last word left the station wet with his spit.

"Understood. Transferring you now."

Neall looked around at his surrounding officers, as if expecting them to give him all the answers. None of them any response, however one officer on the far side of the bridge gave a small shrug and nod back at Neall. Neall back a mental note to have the officer demoted later. The captain turned back to the station and asked, "Transferring? Transferring to whom-?"

A new, younger voice came through, "This is Jedi Reej Grottl."

Surprised, and also slightly exasperated, Neall responded, "Good to see you Jedi, this is Captain Neall of Galactic Alliance Navy; we could use some help up here. We-" the ship rocked sharply to the left, and Neall was thrown onto the floor. Neall hauled himself up and could nearly swear he heard snickering coming from the Jedi. "We are being attacked by an unknown fighter squadron and our weapons systems are offline. We need assistance."

"Can you offer us a reason why?" asked Grottl.

Neall grasped the station as another attack came. The pauses between the attacks were getting shorter. "What do you mean a reason?"

"Can you offer us…payment for our services?"

"Payment?!" Because Neall's face could not humanly turn another color, his eyes simply flared with rage. "Jedi Grottl, as a captain of the Galactic Alliance Navy, I order you to assist us against these hostiles."

"The Jedi are allies of the Galactic Alliance, not subservient to it."

"Fine. We'll pay you whatever you want, just get up here."

Grottl let out a satisfied snort and said, "We will be up within three minutes. I advise you give try diverting all non-essential power to the shields."

Although he wanted to say that it was his ship, and he would do as he liked, Neall settled for saying, "I will, thank you."

Neall severed communications. He turned to the officers standing around listening and barked, "You heard the Jedi! Divert all power to shields!"

"Yes, sir." rang a chorus of voices.

Neall ran over to the officer he had thrown a medal. "Have you brought our weapons online yet?"

The officer was in the process of walking back to the station Neall had taken over. "Three of the ventral turbolasers and one of the dorsal turbolasers are online."

The cruiser shook under the pressure of another attack. Neall looked out the viewport and could not see the distinctive blue color turbolasers of the modern GA firing.

"Then why aren't they firing?" Neall said, spitting over the back of the officers head.

"Sir, our targeting system isn't online yet."

"Why not?"

"I-I don't-" the officer stammered, "that's just how our weapons systems work, I can't-"

Neall shut the officer up with the backside of his hand. He wiped his hand down his face and said through his hand, "What about the manual turrets?"

"We've sent men down to them, but it will take a couple minutes to get them on as well."

"Captain Neall?" the voice of Reej Grottl came through the comm station. "We are about to engage the enemy."

Neall felt a small weight being lifted off of his shoulders, only to be brought down again by a loud crashing noise right above his head. "Get on it, Jedi!"

Through the bridge viewport, the officers of the _Belkadan_ could see three of the green and white lined _Zayin_-class starfighter most common to the Jedi. The three fighters were shaped like the hilt of lightsaber with two pairs of wings extending out from the ship and then turned ninety degrees to face forward of the craft. One of pairs of the wings was down by the nose of the ship and the other pair at the very tip of the other end of the starfighter. The Jedi split up and started to pick off the attackers. Neall was amazed by the maneuvering of the Jedi. They seemed to be able to avoid the enemy's attacks before they made them.

And just as soon as it began, the enemy fighters disappeared and Grottl's voice came over the comm saying, "We've defeated your attackers."

Neall said some of the words he most dreaded saying. "Thank you, Jedi."

"We will escort you down to the planet."

"Yes. Thank you. Did you get a positive identification on the attackers?"

"No, Captain. However, judging from their outdated and obviously worn stafighters, I'd venture to guess that they were pirates."

"Pirates? That would attack a fully equipped Alliance cruiser over a populated Expansion Region world?" asked Neall doubtfully.

"You guess is as good as mine, Captain."

"Fine." Neall switched off the comm. He hated working with Jedi. They put themselves above everyone else, knowing that no one could say otherwise of else.

"Set course for the surface."

* * *

"Senator Hirim Tam, on behalf of Coruscant, the Advisory Council, the Senate, and the citizens of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, we appoint you to the position of Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance."

Across the galaxy, the Holonet feed of the new Chief of State was being screened. After the major upheaval caused by the previous chief's assassination, Hydan Trell, many were uplifted, or at least satiated, by the newest appointment.

Coming off a long speech about the importance of the cooperation and stability within the Senate and the military, Tam finally reached the end of the speech someone else had written. "And finally, citizens of the Galactic Alliance, I assure you that with my appointment, I will continue the age of peace and prosperity for the galaxy. And to my constituents, I thank you for your aid in this appointment. I will not let you down."

Within the government building of Borderion, those privileged enough to have been in attendance clapped a thunderous applause. Tam gave a small bow to those seated below him and he exited into another part of the building through a side door.

Walking down a series of winding hallways, Tam took out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wiped a few droplets of sweat off of his forehead. Followed closely behind by the members of the Advisory Council and several armed guards from the _Belkadan_, Tam walked with something akin to glee down the hallways.

"Senator Athos," the dark-haired senator walked briskly up to Tam's side. "are we prepared to depart for Coruscant?"

"Presently. I assume most of your possessions are in your apartment on Coruscant?"

"Yes, my wife will be able to bring anything left in my home here."

"Good. Captain Neall," The captain, who was farther down the hall, leading the Chief's entourage, turned to Athos, "we will be departing shortly. Is the ship ready?"

"Yes, Senator."

"And have the weapons been resorted?"

"Yes, Senator."

"Good."

Neall turned back around and continued walking. Under his breath, but still loud enough for those close by to hear, Neall muttered, "Who was the idiot who implemented those outrageous demands in Central Command?"

"I believe that idiot was me." said the newest Chief of State.

Neall ears went red and he began to babble apologies to Tam when from behind Tam's entourage a loud voice came, "Chief of State Tam, congratulations on your appointment."

The men behind Tam moved to the sides of the wall and allowed the owner of the voice to pass through.

"Ah, the son of Scorpio Grottl, right?' said Tam.

"Reej Grottl, yes." said Grottl. He had brown hair, with bangs falling down to his eyebrows and the hair on his back tied into a braid, and his chin moved to form a point below his outrageously prominent cheekbones. The Jedi, flanked by two Quarren Jedi, moved forward to shake the Chief's hand. After they broke the handshake, the Jedi moved both hands to behind his back and asked, "Now, about our payment-"

Tam stopped dead in his tracks. "I'm sorry, payment?"

"Yes, for services rendered to the _Belkadan_. Did Captain Neall not inform you?"

Tam turned bewildered to Neall. "Captain?"

Neall bowed his head, not wanting to make eye contact with the Chief, and even more so the Jedi. "We came under attack above the planet. The Jedi aided us."

Tam scrunched his nose and turned to the Jedi. "You will get your credits. I'll have it transferred to your account when we get to Coruscant."

"And how do we know you will keep that promise?"

Tam looked at the Jedi for a long moment. He looked a lot like his father, Scorpio, with whom Tam had a rather nasty run in with several years earlier. Tam held no love for any Grottls, or indeed any Jedi. "Fine. Captain Neall?"

"Right. You," Neall turned to one of his officers, coincidently the same officer he had thrown a medal at above the planet, and pointed to him, "get these Jedi their credits."

The officer nodded and escorted the three Jedi away in the opposite direction of Tam's entourage.

Athos scoffed as they continued their journey down the halls, "Jedi."

"My father told me tales of the Jedi of old. Said they were heroes, but now…" Tam paused and pursed his lips. "These are not the same Jedi as they once were."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Ossus. Home of the New Jedi Order.

During the last Purge, the Sith descended on the Jedi at Ossus and massacred them. The Jedi were scattered and many artifacts were lost. The Sith patrolled the Auril Sector to ensure the Jedi never attempted to return. However, when the Darth Krayt was finally killed, permanently, many surviving Sith in an act of desperation dropped toxins that ravaged the world

The Jedi returned to Ossus soon after the war ended. Led by Grand Master K'Kruhk, the Jedi journeyed to their old home, only to discover the carnage left by the Sith. Dismayed, the Jedi began to leave the planet when a peculiar Yuuzhan Vong named Nei Rin emerged from what was once a planet and offered her services to the Order. Under Rin's direction, Yuuzhan Vong shapers used terraforming biotechnology to restore the planet to its former glory. Under the Jedi, the shapers brought Ossus to an even younger state of life, bursting with both life and the Force.

What remained of the Jedi Academy, originally built by Luke Skywalker, was rebuilt and became known as the Academy of Knowledge and History. In the same valley that housed the Academy, new buildings were built by the returning Jedi Order. With credits given by then Galactic Federation Triumvirate, the Jedi built a giant complex with the most up-to-date technology. The entire valley that once only held the Jedi Academy now supported a facility rivaling the Jedi Temple on Coruscant; all built with the most modern technology and high rise rounded buildings, including several spires.

Although not intentionally a tourist destination, many visitors decided to attempt a visit to the Temple. With the new time of peace and prosperity beginning, the Jedi had welcomed the tourists and, with some more financial help from Coruscant, created a massive spaceport complex a couple of kilometers away from the valley that housed the Jedi Temple. The spaceport also had a separate but connected facility that functioned as a hotel for offworlders and could house several thousand sentients of many numerous species at any given time. Given near unlimited access to the Jedi Temple buildings, with only few places (at least, places that the tourists know exist) that offworlders were restricted from. The rounded buildings now were often seen to house both Jedi and offworld researchers scientists, historians, and even the occasional recreational family trip.

Inside one of the spires rising high above the domed buildings, positioned in the center of the valley and towered above the others, a council of the highest ranking Jedi met.

The chamber was draped in maroon carpentry. The room was dimly lit, however natural sunlight flooded the room from the windows that constituted the chamber walls. A large holographic projector/comm station was placed in the center of the room. The chamber had no exists other than a single door with led a small turbolift big enough to accompany one, possibly two people if they did not suffer from claustrophobia. The Masters themselves entered the chamber through small personal turbolifts connected to their chairs. Each of the chairs could move up and down the transparisteel turbolift that connected to the ground level. The twelve clear turbolifts gave the spire the image of a multi-barreled blaster.

Today, all twelve members of the council were present. At the head of the Jedi High Council, sitting at a red and grey seat identical to the others chairs with the exception of elongated armrests, sat the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, Jogrum Katarn.

Katarn has dark brown hair, neatly cropped to above his ears with his short bangs pulled back over his head. He sported a full beard, as dark and as neat as his hair. He wore flowing brown robes with gold trimmings and his lightsaber, with its blood red hilt, atypical from the standard chrome, dangled from his brown belt. He worked his fingers along his chair as one of the council members, as light green Twi'lek with stripes running down his lekku the color of forest shrubbery, finished a long speech on Mid Rim pirates.

"…hope the Jedi might provide assistance in countering this threat." The Twi'lek began to sit down when, as an afterthought, he rose back up, directing his comment to a female Bimm, added, "Also, one of the worlds being targeted is Bimmisaari, home of the esteemed Bimm species."

Katarn lulled himself out of his boredom and said with a touch of sarcasm, "Thank you, Master Manuush. I'm sure the whole council will agree that you've brought up many interesting points," a couple voice in the chamber snickered, "and we will discuss plans for aiding the fight against these pirates at a later time."

"Excuse me, Grand Master," the Twi'lek, Viker Manuush, interrupted, "but may I inquire as to why we do not plan on discussing plans for aid now?"

"You may inquire, but do not expect a response." Several voices snickered again and one Jedi, another human across the room from Katarn, laughed out loud. Manuush, not amused, glared back at Katarn and the Grand Master continued, "As pressing as these pirate attacks are, we have greater business coming from Coruscant itself. Master Grottl?"

At Katarn's right hand a man with sleek blonde hair, pulled back in a similar fashion to Katarn, but the hair on the back of his head flowed down in small strands to just above his shoulders. His worse sandy robes, only slightly darker than his hair, and had blue eyes that seemed both cold and reckless at the same time. As he stood up and walked to the projector in the middle of the room, he revealed his abnormally large height, standing slightly over two meters tall. His walk revealed a slight limp, an old injury that, when asked the cause, Grottl would look at the person inquiring with his piercing eyes and they would, without fail, stop asking. Although many of his relatives had differing appearances, particularly when it came to hair color, it was said that all members of the Grottl shared the same eyes.

Grottl activated the projector and immediately an oversized projection of Chief of State Hirim Tam appeared in the chamber. Grottl turned to sit down as the transmission began to play.

"Addressing you inquiry as to compensation for this mission, the GA Senate has agreed to allot twenty thousand credits to the completion of this mission, as well as credits for any supplies or travel arrangements you may require. I will assume, for the time being, that this will be adequate compensation." The holographic Tam pulled out a datapad and started to scroll through information, "Now, as you know, the assassination on my predecessor, Hydan Trell, occurred two standard months ago on Trell's native Cinnagar. Trell was not being monitored at the time for reasons still being investigated within the GA government. What we want you to do is, simply, discover who committed the assassination and bring him or her to justice. I won't lie to you Jedi; it's not going to be easy. There are not existing recordings of the area where the incident occurred, no eyewitnesses, no identifiable DNA samples. It seems that this was either a security problem gone horribly wrong or, more likely, a carefully planned trap. However, Trell's trip was never publicized and was only decided on about a week before departure. If this truly is an orchestrated plot, it seems like something that should have taken months.

"As far as we can tell, the only source that would know the cause of the assassination would be the assassin himself or any associates he may or may not have. The Galactic Alliance Intelligence Service has an agent deployed on the mission, one of the best, however so far the assassin's track is cold.

"I know you Jedi have a reputation for solving the unsolvable. If there are any issues regarding payment, you know how to get in touch with my aides'. In addition, any inquires regarding the assassination or intelligence requests should be submitted to Director Virmon. Tam out."

The holographic transmission flickered and phase out.

"Will we be sending anyone?" asked a long, brown haired human female.

"The price suffices, Master Horn." Katarn said.

Horn grimaced, and turned to her similarly haired husband, Torrent. Whispering so only her husband could hear, the female Horn, Anat, said, "Disgusting. We're Jedi, we shouldn't be asking for payment."

Horn gave something that might have been a scowl, if he didn't have such a gentle-looking face. "Tell that to Jogrum."

Ignoring the Masters Horn, Katarn looked directly ahead to the near-crimson colored Jedi, Curria Weslyanda. "Master Weslyanda, I understand your apprentice is planning to undertake this mission?"

Weslyanda stood up in place. She took a long bow before Katarn. Although it might have seemed to be a sign of respect, Weslyanda, a Zeltron, bowed as a way of teasing Katarn, whom the whole council knew had a weak spot for her. Still bowing, "Grand Master Katarn, my apprentice, 1-22, is preparing to depart as we speak."

Mesmerized by Weslyanda "bow," Katarn didn't speak for several seconds. When he realized she had finished speaking he cleared his throat and said, "Thank you, Master Weslyanda. If there is nothing more anyone would like to say…" Jogrum looked around the room and when no one spoke up, he concluded, "All right then; we are done here."

Almost instantly, several Masters began to descend down to the ground below. Anat Horn gave Katarn a quick glare and then joined the other masters.

Before Katarn, four Jedi remained. There was the Master to his right, Scorpio Grottl. Farther down the circle of chairs sat Suri Da-Boda. Da-Boda was a dressed in red robes. Her robes were laced with copper lining the same color as her eyes and hair. He skin was fair. He lightsaber, when ignited, as exhibited a copper colored blade. Although the entire temple has temperature control, Da-Boda wore long red gloves that extended past the sleeves of robe, and wore tights on her legs to serve the same purpose. Her face was pointed and, although he features seemed in perfect proportion, it did seem that they extended farther from their respective spaces then most humans.

Immediately to Suri's right sat a red-skinned Barabel with black eyes. Often known to in Jedi Order as the fiercest of the Jedi, and the current Battlemaster, Sim Sebatyne sat taller than the other Jedi, dwarfed only by Scorpio Grottl. She wore simple brown robes, less and less common to the Jedi Order in the current day. As any student Sim had ever taught or sparred against will say, Sim was a master of all lightsaber forms and could fight using a single blade, double-bladed, dual blades, and even the rarer blades including crossguards and lightwhips. She most commonly wielded a single bladed saber in her main hand, accompanied by a lightsaber tonfa in her off-hand, delivering a deadly combination of offense and defense.

Finally, much farther down the circle, and a few seats away from Katarn's left side, sat old Osias Farril, a Jedi in his seventies who had seen little action in his last several years. He wore dark, black robes and had short white hair, seemingly cut military-style, but in actuality had just stopped growing, but was not yet balding. His age and experience was evident in his face, but had fewer smile wrinkles than most of the elderly. He was often standoffish and quiet, even towards his other masters, and was said to have been a strong-willed Jedi before the loss of his wife.

Katarn sunk in his seat, allowing the formality he held during Council meetings to ebb away. He closed his eyes and gave himself a few seconds to feel the ebbing of the Force. Finally, Katarn reopened his eyes and looked towards the Jedi before him, the matriarchs and patriarchs of their respective Jedi families. Without turning, he asked, "Scorpio."

Grottl craned his neck a near ninety degrees to face Katarn, "Yes, Jogrum?"

Katarn wrinkled his nose in slight annoyance. He knew the Grottl knew what Katarn was thinking about. "Our stratagem is coming closer to its endgame. Are you behind us?"

Grottl nodded. "I have spoken to the Grottl clan. We are behind you."

Katarn gave a slow nod. "Good, thank you, Scorpio." Continuing down the circle, Katarn's eyes rested on the stunning Da-Boda. "Suri?"

Da-Boda nodded her head in a small bowing motion. "The Da-Boda's, however small-"

Katarn waved the thought away, "What your clan lacks in size, it makes up for in power."

Da-Boda respectfully bowed her head again, but did not bother to deny the charge. "We are, for the most part, behind our plan, however some have expressed opposition and are threatening to let the general Jedi populace know of our plans."

"Those opposed, is it the Sunriders?" Katarn asked.

"Yes, Jogrum."

"They are a meddlesome bunch. See to it they don't let the other Jedi in on our plans…yet."

Da-Boda's eyes widened in something, if she were not a Jedi, might have resembled fear, "You mean…deal with them."

Katarn quietly chuckled, "No, talent like that cannot, unfortunately, but squandered." Katarn face turned solemn, "But…if they cannot be curtailed…then yes, you will have to dabble in some…unpleasantness."

Suri nodded and Katarn eyes shifted slightly to the Barabel. "Sim?"

"This one has alwayz been behind you. And you know the Sebatyne'z position on this."

Katarn nodded deeply. "And so I do. And I thank you for your continued support."

Katarn eyes finally rested on Farril. Katarn raised a single eyebrow towards Osias and the old Jedi merely gave a small nod in response.

"Good, then our man in field should be contacting us within moments-"

As Katarn said it, the holoprojector in the middle began broadcasting a enlarger figure of a man. His features were masked by the dim-lighting of wherever the projection was coming from.

"Masters Jedi." The man clasped his hands together in reverence of the Jedi, "Recruitment is going well. Enlistments are in the thousands per day."

"I am very glad to hear this. And the planets?"

"We are spread thin throughout the systems of Outer Rim, as requested."

"The droids?"

"Operating at one hundred and ten percent efficiency."

"Good. We'll need to be inspecting operations personally on the station. How soon can you get there?"

"Within two standard weeks, Master Jedi."

"Very well. We will see there."

The transmission cut out. Katarn eyed the Jedi in the chamber. "We cannot all go. The others will notice. I will need two to accompany me. Volunteers?"

"I will go." Grottl stood up, trying his best to stand out as Katarn's best.

"Scorpio. As always."

Farril made a small motion with his hand and said with a croaking voice, "I will not be missed."

Katarn only nodded in response. "Then our job here is done for now."

The Jedi all nodded and were getting ready to descend their chair-turbolifts when Katarn cried out in pain. He felt lightning run through his body and his vision was blacked out by blinding white light.

Katarn clawed his face, trying to find the source of pain when suddenly his vision cleared and he saw the other four masters looking at him in confusion.

Gasping for breath, Katarn screeched, "D-didn't you all feel that."

"This one felt it. A disturbance in the force." replied Sim. Around her, all the masters nodded their heads.

"But, but the pain and-and-and the blinding white light-"

"Perhaps," croaked Farril, "you are simply more in tune to the Force."

"Yes…perhaps." Katarn wondered. The pain seemed to have left no physical mark. But what was it the Force was trying to tell them. "Did anyone get a sense for what it is?"

Da-Boda frowned and suggested, "The Force did not speak with words or images. But I feel something is coming. Something…_wicked_ is coming."

Katarn, unsure of what he had perceived, merely nodded.

"Our visions are unclear. There is no use on contemplating on something we cannot perceive." Farril said.

"Agreed." said Katarn. Sensing no one had anything left to say, he began, still shaky from the vision, to punch in the level to which the turbolift needed to take him. Others followed his lead and swiftly departed. Finally, only Katarn and Sebatyne remained. Katarn hands shook as he finished programming the turbolift.

"Jogrum?"

Katarn stopped inches away from pressing the button to depart. "Yes, Sim."

"Your vision. Is it possible the Alliance has become aware of our planz?"

Katarn shook his head furiously. "Impossible. We've taken every security measure possible. And even if they did, they would never know when we will be beginning."

Sebatyne pursed her lips, or the Barabel equivalent, and asked, "And when will that be?"

"I cannot say. The Force will present the opportunity we need."

"And," Sebaytne thought about her next words very carefully. "could that opportunity arrive with this vision?"

"I do not know."

Sebatyne bowed her head. "Well, this one is not worried. If you say an oppurtnity will present itself, I believe you. It is the vision I am more worried about."

"As am I."

Sebatyne began to program her turbolift. "You heard what Suri said. Something wicked this was comez." Sebatyne finished programming her lift and promptly departed.

Katarn looked off into space. Not with his eyes, but with the Force. There was something out there. Something bad. But maybe-just maybe-it might be what he was looking for.

"Yes," Katarn pressed down on the turbolift and began to descend down the transparisteel spire. He saw the landscape of Ossus pass by his field of vision and he muttered, "Something wicked this way comes, indeed."

_Author's Note: Get excited to see some old friends in the next chapter!_


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"…Dwoo?"

In a dusty cavern beneath the ground, a nearly-black giant room sat untouched for decades. The room was a virtual cornucopia, if one needed an abundance of outdated equipment. Several old droid models lay there, inactivated for well over a century, and several disassembled. Several wires stuck out around the derelict droids, who age was reflect in the YVH 1 droid leaning next to the part of a disassembled Trade Federation Battle Droid.

Several starfighters also laid scattered in the room, ranging from fighters as recent as the century old _Hunter_-class TIE fighter, in its time aptly nicknamed "voidwalkers" for the feet-like wings that accompanied the fighter, to the ancient T-65 X-Wing that, from the look of it, hadn't seen action since Palpatine was still alive…the first time.

Several wires and spare parts that may have once belonged to who knows what were spread nonsensically along the large room. And in one dusty corner of the room, under a mess of wires, a red, circular light shone in the darkness.

Beneath the red circle, a metal claw arm began to retract and pull away the mass of spare parts amassed in the corner as, next to the arm, a fusion cutter began to tear through some of the heavier junk.

After a couple of moments, the pile of refuse had been fully cleared away to reveal a small cylindrical droid. Seemingly determined, the little droid moved, with some rusty scratching noises prevalent, to the center of the room where a large console which, although also covered in scrap, was largely intact. From the droid's body came a scomp link which proceeded to plug into the console. Physically moving around, the link searched for what it was looking for. After several moments, the droid seemed to find what it was looking for.

Slowly, the droid backed out of the terminal and turned around. The droid domed head swiveled around, seemingly searching for something in particular when it rested on a single sport. The droid wheeled to this spot and stopped at a spotty, deep bronze colored humanoid chassis. Plugging his scomp link into a rather uncomfortable place had the humanoid droid been human and began uploading something.

The humanoid droid's sensors, shaped like human eyes, turned on a fluorescent white color. The white color bounced of the two droids causing a dim light to shine on them both.

The bronze droid, now fully activated, began to speak. "Hello, I am See-Threepio, Human-Cyborg relations and-oh!" the droid seemed to be aware of where it was. "Good heavens me, just where am I?"

The small droid, now illuminated to reveal it was a small cylindrical R-series unit with white and blue markings, tweetled before the humanoid droid.

"Artoo-Detoo? Wherever are we?"

R2-D2, as he was called, moved his head around and responded, "Tweele-dwoo-aroo."

The protocol droid, C-3PO, asked "What do you mean you don't know?"

"Darorooo."

"You received a message that activated you?"

"Twiddle-roo-roodoo."

"What do you mean my body? Oh my! What happened to my golden chassis? You've transferred me into another body, you stupid droid! Where are my real droid parts?"

The blue droid chirped once again in droid-speak and began to wheel away.

"Oh, come back here you blasted droid! Where do you think you are going?" cried Threepio.

The cylindrical droid kept moving forward while Threepio cried, "A door?"

Just as Threepio said it, a rusty door opened to reveal a dimly lit atrium. The two droids slowly walked, and wheeled, into the atrium. The atrium was entirely made of stone. Steps, carved out of stone began right where the doors to the chamber ended. Beyond the stairs, to either side, was a long underground lake. The water shimmered and reflected and caused dim light to flood the atrium, coming from seemingly nothing. Above, the stairs seemed to wind in an unidentifiable pattern that could merely be described as "up." The top of the stairs could not be seen.

"Oh, dear. I don't suppose there is another way out of here? I think I will just go back and see if I can find another way to-Oh! Let go of me you stupid-ah!"

While Threepio was speaking, Artoo had taken the liberty of extending of firing cable gun from his cylindrical body and wrapping it around Threepio's entire metal body. Finding him securely fastened in the cable, Artoo activated his rocket thrusters and blasted off of the atrium and, bypassing the stairs, went up.

"Let me down!" the droids voice began to droid out in the wind of acceleration. "Artoooooo!"

Scorpio Grottl roamed the grounds of the Academy of Knowledge and History. It was a calming spot where many Jedi did not roam regularly. It was a good place to think, if one did not mind risking the chance of running into a tourist.

He hadn't forgotten the tremor in the Force from the week before. From the look on Jogrum's face, it seemed that Katarn had felt it the most, but Grottl had felt it more than he cared to let on. He suspected many of the other Masters in the council felt it as strong as he did as well, but if they did, they were not telling.

Grottl wanted to know what it meant. He had considered consulting Wori-Ky, the Order's Miraluka seer, but he knew that, unless consulted in the privacy of the Jedi Council, Wori-Ky's prophecies often became common knowledge. He would remember to suggest consulting the seer at the next Council meeting.

So Grottl was left to his own musings. Unlike some premonitions, the feeling of dread and pain was not accompanied by an actual vision. This stuck Grottl as odd. He was no stranger to the mysteries of the Force. In the past, strong premonitions of future were usually accompanied by an actual vision. The fact that this deep feeling, stronger than any other premonition Grottl had ever experienced, did not involve a vision was extremely troubling.

"Excuse me, Master Jedi?"

Grottl didn't bother turning around. Rather, he felt the small male presence behind him. Still not turning to face the speaker, Grottl responded, "I am extremely busy right now."

"Please, not to bother you, but I am Professor Yamta of the Obroan Institute, I'm sure you've heard of me."

Grottl continued to walk forward. "No, I don't believe I have."

Grottl felt the professor's surprise, "Really now? No matter. I am here representing the-"

"That is really quite wonderful," Grottl said, his voice dripping in sarcasm. "but I really cannot help you.

"Please, I am here representing the Imperial Studies division of the Obroan Institute."

Grottl stopped in his tracks. He turned his head slightly to look at the professor and raised an eyebrow. "Imperial Studies? And what are you doing here?"

The professor, who Grottl now saw to be a short balding man with limbs that were slightly shaking, seemed relieved to finally be getting a response. "Research of the Order of the Imperial Knights. I would like to know if you might have any records on the subject and where I might find them?"

"The Imperial Knights were nothing more than heretics founded by their insane leader, Fel." Sensing the professor's anxiousness, and thinking it might get rid of her. He turned his head back away from the professor and said, "However, if you are set on finding these records, check the Academy of Knowledge and History. Ask for Master Avogadro."

"Thank you, Master-ooh. Hello there, friend."

Scorpio turned his entire body around. Leaning up against the professor's leg was a small astromech droid.

"Well, well. What have we here?" murmured Grottl.

The professor got down on his knees, slightly shorter now than the droid, and began to exam it. "Hm, let's see. Looks like Bornaryn Trading droid, R2 series. But…oh! Look at this. The pattern on this droid is not like the current R2 models. Those marks seem to be the same type of marks that the R2 series had back when it was produced by Industrial Automaton."

Grottl got on his knees to inspect the droid as well. "Industrial Automaton? But they were bought out by Bornaryn Trading nearly three hundred years ago." Grottl rubbed his gloved hands along the blue dome of the droid; a layer of filth coated it. The marks were worn down, many wipe away by something Grottl could only guess, but it seemed grossly out of place with the modern Jedi buildings.

"Tell me professor, when was the last time R2 droids were painted with these particular design?"

"After Industrial Automaton? Maybe thirty years, so about two hundred fifty years ago, give or take a decade."

"So, just how old is this droid?" Grottl was starting to feel fear creeping up on him. The fact that something was out of the ordinary right after receiving that vision…

"I don't know; let me see…" the professor bent down to look at the droid's legs. "Look at his retractable third leg. It still sports the original legs type, not made since the droid's first appearance on the market. The things this droid might contain in its databanks…I must inspect it!"

Grottl was about to object when a scratchy voice called out, "Artoo, do come back!"

A bronze protocol droid come along from behind the men and droid. Nearly the entire droid's chassis was rusted and dented, however because the rusting metal was the same color as the droid's paint job, it looked as if the droid had been crumpled up in someone's hand and thrown back out.

"Oh, hello." The droid look to the two men, "My name is See-"

The bronze droid was interrupted by a whistle from the short one.

"What do you mean don't tell them?" the rusted droid turned to the two men, "I am sorry; Artoo here has always been a bit of loose cannon. Especially for a droid."

Grottl was now immensely suspicious. The Artoo unit was strange enough, but a rusted droid following the droid…

"Master Grottl."

Grottl turned to see the speaker of the words. It was an average size human. He seemed to be about sixteen or seventeen and had brown hair that fell to the middle of his neck and in the front to his eyes, often obscuring them; as well, his hair fell to the bottom on his earlobes. His face was clean shaved and rounded, most reminiscent of grav-ball. His eyes were wide set on his face, rather far from his nose. His mouth had thin lips but seemed to form into a wide smile. He wore long necklace around his neck that held a small pendant at the bottom, which extended to his chest. He wore the common brown Jedi robes along with a sand-colored tabard and similarly colored boots. Grottl almost didn't recognize him without his typical rimless spectacles

This particular Jedi often favored but soon realized it was the only son of two of his fellow Masters.

"Jedi Horn." Grottl said, intentionally trying to throw the young Jedi of balance with his piercing eyes. "I understand you passed your trials early, but that is not excuse not to be studying."

The young Jedi seemed unfazed, "I was just bringing these two droids to the Academy of Knowledge and History."

"Than they are your droids?"

The protocol droid moved as if to say something, but before he could the astromech said something in droidspeak that made the taller droid stop.

"Yes, they are mine. Please, R2-T9, TRA-87, come with me."

Grottl was about to object but thought against it. Perhaps he was just looking to assure himself nothing was wrong, but he wanted to have nothing to do with these mysterious droids. "Fine then, Jedi Horn. And take this man with you."

"Thank you, Master." Horn bowed his head and then turned to the professor. "Come with me."

Walking away from Grottl, Horn led the professor towards and through the glass doors of the Academy of Knowledge and History. As they entered the cooled building, Horn extended a hand towards the professor and said. "Hello, I'm Kieran Horn."

The professor shook Kieran's hand excitedly. "I'm Professor Yamta of the Obroan Institute, currently representing the Imperial Studies division. You're a Jedi?"

Kieran gave a toothy grin, as if excited for the opportunity to talk, "Yep, just knighted last month."

"Knighted?" the professor scrunched his nose as if trying to remember an old lecture, "So you are longer an apprentice, but a Jedi Knight?"

"That's the way it works." Kieran just turned down the end of a small corridor to enter a large library. The library was built on the same spot as the Jedi Academy of the legendary Luke Skywalker's day. The inverted ziggurat of the old Academy, or what remained of it, was torn down and rebuilt as in a similar style to the other rounded Jedi buildings, with the addition layer domes upon domes. The inside was layered in gold colored bookcases, extended down a far hall. From the records Kieran had seen, the Academy of History and Knowledge's library, colloquially known as the Jedi Annals, bore a striking resemblance to the Jedi Archives on Coruscant. The blue color of the holobooks reflected off the gold to give off the sensation that one was walking in an ocean of gold.

"So, Professor, what are you here for?"

"The Institute was looking for a liaison to Ossus, and I figured I could take some time off from my lectures, so here I am!"

Kieran nodded. They had reached the center of the library's main hall. Before Kieran and the professor was the main desk and computer terminal of the archives. Looking up from the desk was a young woman with light grey eyes and long silvery hair.

Slightly flustered at first, Kieran said something that sounded vaguely like, "Hiseneyousea?"

The silvery haired woman cocked her head to the side, "I'm sorry, Kieran?"

Kieran was always fascinated by Ismene Ytri. Because they both lacked talent in lightsaber combat, Kieran and Ismene, a couple of months younger than him, had taken many classes focused on honing Force ability in their earlier years. Although over time, their classes had deviated from each other to follow their studies, they had remained fairly good friends, seeing each other now and then and here and there. Kieran maintained, albeit privately, that Ismene was one of the nicest people he had ever met. She was always willing to help him and her classmates and still now always was willing to help. Lately, although they've been seeing each other less and less, Kieran had taken notice to other traits of Ismene. Her silvery hair, almost non-existent in young humans, seemed to glow in almost any light, and her eyes…

Realizing Ismene had a question, Kieran abandoned his train of thought and said, "Hi Ismene. This is Professor Yamta from Obroa-skai."

The professor pushed Kieran slightly to the side and shook Ismene hands rapidly, "Actually from the Obroan Institute, Roonadan branch."

"Nice to meet you, Professor. What can I do for you?"

"I've come looking for information on the Imperial Knights. There are no records remaining from the Empire to tell us much about them, so the Institute sent me here to see what you could find."

Ismene pursed her lips and put a finger to them. "Let me think. You could try the Force sects sections, but the status of the Imperial Knights is still very much in question. I'm not even sure what records we might have. I could bring you to my master, Agrippa Avogadro. She's the head librarian of the Academy."

"I would enjoy that very much."

Ismene hopped over the desk and directed the professor in the direction they were about to walk. "Are you coming, Kieran?"

Kieran glanced to the two droids, "I've business of my own to attend to, Ismene, but I appreciate the offer."

Ismene smiled and began to walk away. Kieran felt a impulse rise up from somewhere deep in him. Before he could stop himself, he cried out, "Ismene!"

Ismene and the professor turned to Kieran, wonderingly. Kieran blushed. He had acted on impulse. It was not the Jedi way. "I am sorry, I forgot."

The silver haired girl squinted her eyes and then continued to walk away.

Kieran sighed once and then turned to the two droids, "Okay _Artoo-Detoo_ and _See-Threepio_, let's go."

"My goodness," said the Threepio, "You know our designations?"

Kieran began to walk in the direction of the exit of the Jedi Annals. "Yes, although you, Threepio, don't look anything like your photos. Now be quiet. It's not safe to talk here."

The tall droid did not in fact stay quiet, but given that all he was talking about was something about moisture vaporators, Kieran didn't worry too much about it.

Kieran exited the building and began the trek to the Village.

The Village was a construct of Grand Master Ben Skywalker during his days on Ossus. During expanding Jedi Order, many families had taken to buying apartments together and commuting to the temples for their daily business. When the Order relocated to Ossus, many Jedi families protested to taking up residence in the Academy's dormitories. Master Skywalker agreed to let any Jedi families who wished to build their own residence to do so.

Several families led by the then-Veila family and the Saar family, several families constructed housing facilities about a klick out from the Temple. Over the centuries, the small settlement expanded and grew to form the Village.

The Village was not the only settlement. Several more private constructions were built in other areas by some families, like the Katarns and the Sebatynes. However, the Village was the busiest. Originally outsiders were barred from the Village but within the last few decades with the arrival of several non-Force sensitive members of resident Jedi families, several off-world merchants had set up their own businesses in the Village. Although still predominately a home for Jedi families, the Village now also boosted the planet only real source of economy and was the only way to get goods other than those belonging to the Jedi Temple.

Much like the Temple, the Village blended together both nature and technology. The roads were well paved, but the ground was dirt, not permacrete. Beyond the roads, the ground was entirely grass, but the buildings and houses were all very modern buildings. The Village seemed rather disorganized. The Jedi's central authority was at the Temple, not the Village. Many Jedi were originally worried that outsiders in the Village would try to establish an authority over the residents, but the merchants preferred not to have anyone to answer to. Because of this, those around the Village seemed to mill around without much direction except out.

Kieran opted not to take the main road to the Horn home. Instead, he silently led the droids around the settlements off to the edge of the low forest. Not getting seen was easy as most of the Jedi were still going about their business around the Temple.

"Nastra?" Kieran walked along the edge of the forest, keeping areas between the buildings in site, and talked into his personal comlink. "I've got them and I'm right by the backdoor. Can you open it?"

"I'm opening it now." came a voice over the comlink.

Kieran edged away from the forest and to a rather large, gray colored building.

"Master Kieran, may I ask what we are doing?" asked the bronze droid.

"In a minute Threepio. Now move back, you're standing on the door."

The bronze droid looked to where he was standing and when the round began to move, quickly moved away. A green patch in the ground disappeared and was replaced by a small hole, barley big enough to fit an adult male.

The bronze droid peered over the hole, "This does not seem very safe. Oh, I do hate going underground."

Rather than listen to the protocol droid's complaints, Kieran extended his hands and pushed the droid down the hole.

"Troo-doo!"

Artoo was too round to fit down the hole. Kieran pushed Artoo carefully into the hole, which only sank until the middle of Artoo's rotund body. Kieran began to push down on Artoo. Slowly, inch by inch, Artoo began to sink farther into ground. After several minutes, a loud popping sound was heard and Artoo slipped down into the hole.

Kieran wiped the sweat off his head. Sometimes he really wished he could perform telekinesis. Unlike most Jedi, the male Horns had deficiency in telekinesis. Many Jedi found this puzzling, as Kieran was involved in Force-focused classes. However, what many didn't realize is that just as a blind man had excellent hearing, Kieran was exceptionally proficient in other areas of the Force.

Kieran dropped down into the hole. Unlike Threepio's assumption, the drop was only a couple centimeters. Beneath the darkness of the hole were steps. Kieran walked down a couple of steps, not too many, until the ground was about a full meter above his head. Slowly, Kieran eyes adjusted to the darkness.

A voice came out from the darkness, "You might want to close your eyes."

Kieran did and as his eyes were closed, he could see the lights turn on through his eyelids. He reopened his eyes and had to squint because his eyes hurt in the new light.

Yellow-tinted light flooded the room. It was small, but easily accommodated everyone. Towards the far wall stood Nastra Vao, a dark blue colored Twi'lek Jedi Apprentice. He had hick eyebrows and an elongated face that seemed to stretch down and end in a blunt chin. Among other sentient, Nastra was seen as something of an oddity because of his third lekku placed directly between his normal two. Among Twi'leks, this additional head tail denoted a sign of respect. His third lek hung down carelessly, while his far left lek fell down in front of his body and his far right lek draped down his shoulder and across to the opposite shoulder, like a scarf. All three of Nastra's lekku were heavily wrapped in brown leather.

Nastra threw a small handle-like object towards Kieran, which he caught. "Grab a hydrospanner." He grimaced.

"Dooreet?" Artoo asked as Kieran began to open up several parts of Artoo's chassis.

You've been activated during a dangerous time, Artoo. There are many Jedi here who if they knew who you to were, would have you destroyed permanently."

On the other side of the small room, Threepio turned around from having his rusted chassis stripped off by Kieran. He asked nervously "Destroyed?"

"You two represent a time many Jedi don't want others to remember. Besides-" Kieran looked from the two droid to Nastra and back to the droids. "Your arrival means something big is coming. Something big enough to rock the galaxy to its very foundations."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

A small shuttle appeared out of hyperspace over a gargantuan space station. The station seemed to be divided into three spheres slightly smaller than the size of an average moon. The three spheres were connected by small cylindrical portions eschewing from two points on each sphere, holding the entire station in a triangle shape. In the center of the three triangles were several large half-constructed ships and a wide number of clear, tube-like constructions running along from each of the three spheres in a seemingly pattern-less assortment. The shuttle's sublight engines engaged and began to push the ship towards the station. Slowly, the shuttle entered the station and touched down inside a hangar.

Inside the hangar, the shuttle disengaged its engines and extended a boarding ramp. From inside the ship, two tall figures, and a single short one, all wearing black flight suits with grey robes over the suits. All three had their hoods pulled up and masked their faces.

A young man, not a day standard day older than twenty, with long black hair and a lanky walk, greeted the men from the ship.

The middle figure raised his hood. "Hello, Ritik." said Jogrum Katarn with a smile.

"Hello, Masters Jedi." The young man named Ritik, bowed.

"Are you prepared for our inspection?" asked Katarn.

"Yes, Master. The speeder is just this way."

Ritik led Katarn and the two other men away from the ship and to the left side of the hangar. A small speeder shaped like a rectangular pod was protruding from a small metal tunnel in the wall. The speeder itself was connected to the sides of the tunnel and, as far as Katarn could tell, was dependent on the tunnel for mobility. Ritik opened the end of the speeder and let the three men enter before him. Ritik entered after and went to the far side of the speeder. He pressed a button and a transparisteel viewport encased the speeder. Afterwards, Ritik laid his hands to several other controls and the speeder took off.

They sped through the metal tunnel and soon entered the tunnel faded, except for the track the speeder was placed on, to reveal a gargantuan metal yard extending several kilometers below the speeder.

"As you can see below you, our new line of _Force_-class capital ships are currently being worked on down here. The ones you see below are incomplete; however we do have many other complete ships of this class."

The speeder reentered the tunnel, only to exit it within a matter of seconds. Below them was a smaller yard, although still large.

"This is our second fleet of the new line of _Saber_-class starfighters for the GA. The third and fourth fleets are nearing completion, and the fifth and sixth fleets are well under way."

Somewhere around a hundred starfighters lined the hangar below. The Sabers kept the same cylindrical bodies as the Zayin fighters, but had a long, rectangular wingspan running from each end of the fighter. The cockpit was towards the front of the ships and at the back end, above the engines, was large hump with two circular holes barreled in them.

"This is only one example of the starfighters we've made. This is, however, the most numerous fighter class we've made and contains the experimental dual-navigator technology." Ritik explained.

The man to the right side of Katarn lowered his hood. "Dual-navigator technology?" asked Scorpio Grottl.

Ritik explained as the speeder reentered the tunnel. "Most astromech droids are incapable of piloting a starship on their own without significant tinkering. We believe we have perfected a system of allowing two astromechs to co-pilot the starship. Although these droids serve several new functions, in particular their inclusion allows for the sentient pilot of the fighter to concentrate on the actual fighting functions. The two droids not only pilot the ship, but effectively, while allowing the pilot to regain manual control almost instantaneously."

"Jogrum?" asked Grottl.

"I am quite impressed. What say you, Osias?"

Farril deigned to lower his hood, but merely nodded in response.

The speeder zoomed out from the tunnel and into a clear tube. They tube one of many located between the three spheres they made up the entire space station. Above all the tubes were several half-built ships, much larger than the average capital ship. Around them were countless floating construction devices currently building the ships.

"Of course, we have a wide variety of ships, sporting the latest technology," Ritik began, "But here are the strongest ships available to your fleet. The _Juggernaut_-class Star Dreadnoughts. They'll serve as command ships. Upon completion, this class of battleships will sport over three thousand turbolasers and laser cannons, three thousand heavy turbolasers, three hundred concussion missile tubes, three hundred ion cannons."

Katarn studied the ships. It was difficult to see from where they were, but something seemed wrong. He frowned. "I don't see any tractor beams."

"We've had to sacrifice those."

"And you believe that to be a tactical advantage?"

"Let me finish, Master Jedi."

Katarn indicated with his hand for Ritik to continue.

"The tractor beams had to be sacrificed to make way for greater weapons. With the help of the Yuuzhan Vong shapers you've provided to aid our work, we've been able to create or, excuse me, grow dovin basals and plasma cannons, the Vong call it Yaret-Ko, and attach them to our dreadnoughts."

Scorpio's eyes bulged inside his head. Such a thing was unheard of. "How on Ossus were you able to accomplish that?"

"I am sure Master Shaper Rin could explain better than I, but as I understand it, the Yuuzhan Vong you sent us have found a way of unifying their biotechnology with our technology."

Scorpio scrunched his nose. "I though they deemed that undoable centuries ago?"

"It was. With the banning of Yuuzhan Vong technology, the only people who had access to their biotechnology, besides for the remaining Vong, were GA scientists. They were the ones who tried to unify the two technologies, but without a Yuuzhan Vong shaper to help them, they never succeeded."

Katarn squinted his eyes. On the underside of one of the dreadnoughts, he saw several small, brown protrusions that he assumed where plasma cannons. "If I remember correctly, the dovin basals were grown in the company of a yammosk, the war coordinators to which they were telepathically linked."

"Correct."

"However, all known war coordinators that were not destroyed at the end of the Yuuzhan Vong war disappeared into Zonama Sekot."

"Again, correct."

"So, then what is controlling the dovin basals."

"As Nli Rin explained to me, the yammosk link with the dovin basals was more of a means to facilitate propulsion. Of course, we have our own engines for this. Master Shaper Rin expounded to me that her adapted dovin basals are able to move independent of the yammosks. However, their propulsion systems are severely limited, but like I said, that isn't what we need them for. Their defense system of the black-hole generators is their main purpose aboard the dreadnoughts, and can also be used to drain enemy shields."

Katarn nodded, observing the spherical black dovin basals that were in the process of being attached to the ships. "And the plasma cannons? How do they work?"

Ritik eyed the adjacent edge of the tube entering into another section of the space station that was fast approaching. "They act like the laser cannons of a starship. They aren't dependent on a computer to function, they can activate manually. The problem is, a dreadnought ship doesn't have enough crew members to stand on the deck to control every plasma cannon. The problem the Nli Rin was able to fix was the integration of the control of the plasma cannons into the ship's computer targeting systems."

"How do they compare to current GA warships?"

"The GA is in the process of demilitarizing. Enlistment is down and they haven't upgraded their ships' weapons in the last fifty years. At least before I was let off, the GA military barley even trains their pilots to fight Vong technology anymore. Just a small instruction and most GA pilots have logged very little time against Vong simulations. Not only will they be grateful for your help in reversing the demilitarizing process, but for these ships. This new class of dreadnoughts will be the most powerful ships in the GA military."

The tube ended and the speeder entered another tunnel in the space station, leaving the blackness and under-construction Juggernauts.

"Now, as for infantry weaponry-"

Jogrum Katarn cut Ritik off. "Actually, our main concern was the navy. We are leaving the general army to you. The GA has faith in you."

"Yeah, I am sure that's what they thought when they let me go." Ritik muttered.

The speeder stopped in a small corridor. Ritik hopped out of the speeder and onto the platform next to it. The three Jedi raised their hoods over their heads again. Farril moved to the control at the head of the speeder and got ready to send the speeder back to the hangar they arrived in.

"Um, Master Jedi." Ritik looked slightly nervous when he began to ask his question, "When will the Alliance be sending the credits to us for our work here?"

Katarn, hood raised over his head, turned to Ritik. Ritik couldn't see Katarn's face, but felt a sudden chill run up his spine. Katarn didn't respond and after several seconds, Farril programmed the speeder and it was gone.

* * *

Hirim Tam sat in the floridly decorated Chief of State's office in Alliance Palace. The office had just finished undergoing redecoration for Tam. The new arrangement reflected a combination of water and industry. The room was square in shape, except for the window to the back of the Chief of State's desk, which was shaped in a semicircle. The walls had been overlaid with a brown-grey scheme they reminded Tam of the buildings on his home planet of Borderion, and one wall to the right of his desk was covered in a large control panel that acted as a transmitter to nearly every government building on Coruscant. It was intentionally expanded to cover the whole wall, even though his smaller transmitter on his desk served the same purpose. The carpet had a blue color scheme that seemed to get dark as it stretched from the far end of the office to the entrance, giving the impression of running water. The blue ceiling added to the water-based feel of the office.

Tam yawned. "It's late, Elana. Why don't you get some sleep? I can handle the rest."

Senator Elana Athos played with her dark hair for a short second. She was the senator for Coruscant and the system. Both her eyes are hair was dark, and her face ended in a regal point. Her fingers, as well as her figure, was slender and she seemed portray the ideal Coruscanti woman. "Are you sure, Hirim? Really, I don't mind."

Tam waved Athos off. "The Senate meets early tomorrow for those new trading bills. You'll do the planet a favor by going to sleep."

Athos bowed deeply. "Thank you, Chief."

Athos briskly walked over to the door and out. Tam smiled briefly as he watched her leave and then turned to his flimsiwork.

Once again, Tam yawned. It was tiring, and more importantly, boring work. It had been over a month since his induction as Chief of State and the Senate had wasted no time shoveling work on him. He had rarely slept more than four standard hours in the last month. All the work made him tired. The words on the flimsiplast and datapads seemed to blur. Soon, they were indistinguishable from the surfaces they were displayed on. Soon, the displays themselves blurred into the desk and Tam fell into darkness…

"Chief Trell?"

Tam jumped in his seat. At first he was confused as to where he was, until he remembered he had fallen asleep. Glancing behind him, he could see it was still dark, but in the distance the sky was vaguely grey, signaling the coming morning.

"Ah, you were sleeping. We should have accounted for local time."

The voice was coming through the comm station implanted in his desk. Tam checked the transmission line and noticed it wasn't a Coruscanti code. In fact, it wasn't even an Alliance code.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Trell, you know well enough who it is. Now turn on the holoprojector, please."

Confused, Tam complied. The projection turned on to show a minuscule figure of a woman in a military-looking uniform. She was hard to distinguish in the hologram, but she had dark hair pulled back in a bun down towards her neck. The one thing that stood out was the crest adorned on her upper arm, just below her shoulder. Tam's eyes widened slightly. Tam had never seen the symbol outside of history holobooks or museums.

"Oh," the woman looked over Tam. "You are not Chief Trell."

"Um, hello. No, Chief of State Hydan Trell was assassinated over two standard months ago…you didn't hear?" Tam asked, wary of the woman he was talking to.

"Of course not, why would we-" The woman stopped, realizing what she was saying. "Right, new, sorry. May I ask who I am addressing?"

Tam brushed his messy, sleep hair out of his eyes and sat up straight. "Chief of State Hirim Tam."

"Well, it is very nice to meet, Tam. I am Dima Orothi, but you knew that."

"No."

Orothi looked confused. "I'm sorry?"

"No, I didn't know who you were."

Orothi pursed her lips and thought to herself for a moment, "Have you read the Chief of State's protocols?"

Tam moved his eyes from the hologram. He could feel his cheeks reddening. "Um, well, I've started…however, I've been rather busy."

"I see. Then I don't suppose you know who I represent?"

"No, I don't."

Orothi moved looked intently at Tam's face and read it like an unlocked datapad. "But you have a guess."

Tam shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It was true he did have a nagging suspicion about the identity of the woman, but he didn't want to say it, for fear of confirmation.

"Well, your accent. It sounds like a Core world accent, but with some slight differences. And the symbol on beneath your shoulder blade; that's the crest of the Empire. The Fel Empire. You're Imperial."

"Correct. I'd like to say more now, but you're new. Your office may have been bugged between Trell and your appointment. So, I'll be brief. The Empire still exists, deep in the Unknown Regions, and we are preparing to return."

Tam's face instantly turned pale. "What do you mean by return? What are your intentions?"

"I am not at liberty to say, but suffice to say our intentions are not hostile. That is the point of telling you now." Tam's face showed he was obviously confused. Orothi dropped her head briefly and return to face Tam. "Look, essentially what I am calling to tell you is that you and a small delegation is required to come to the Ankus system."

"And if I refuse?"

She didn't seem to even consider this. "The Empire is returning, whether you show up or not. It would be in your best interest to come. Orothi out."

The projection disappeared. Tam leaned back in his chair and took a long, shaky breath.

* * *

"So, where have you two been for the last two hundred years?"

Kieran Horn and Nastra Vao had spent the entire night working on the droids. Now, early morning, they were nearly complete.

"I am sorry, Master Nastra?"

Nastra looked up from the hard oil scrub he was giving the protocol droid. "The two of you droids were once the most recognizable mechanicals around. But then you disappeared from history."

"Well," Kieran looked to Nastra from his tinkering of Artoo's middle leg. "Artoo disappeared at the same time the Empire disappeared. You, Threepio, left history a lot earlier. Care to tell us what happened?"

"Yeah and how you two ended up on Ossus?"

Threepio cocked his droid head, as if in thought. He paused and raised his head again. "Well, it is a rather long tale."

Kieran wiped a small bead of sweat off of his forehead and turned to Threepio. He smiled, interested, and said, "Summarize it for us. Tell us a story."

"A story? Oh, I'm not very good at telling stories, I'm afraid." Threepio must have seen the two Jedi's forlorn faces through his photoreceptors because he then decided, "However, since you've taken the time to care for my counterpart and I here, I'll try my best."

"Artoo was once in the care of Master Luke and Mistress Mara and I was in the care of Master Luke's sister, Leia and her husband Master Han. Artoo and I had previously traveled together for years, and even after our separation, often ended up together on some dangerous and frightening adventure."

Kieran glanced Nastra. It didn't sound like anything they hadn't read in the histories.

"But, after a time our paths split for good. Mistress Leia died at a very old age. When she did, Master Han and I were invited by their granddaughter, Allana Solo, Queen Mother of Hapes to live with her. Master Han and I went to the Hapes Consortium when we lived for several years. After a couple of years, Master Han died. Poor Master Han."

It was common knowledge that after Leia Organa Solo had died, her husband Han Solo had disappeared into the Hapes Constortium, rarely seen in elsewhere in the Galaxy again. However, something Threepio had said struck Kieran as strange, "Why 'poor Master Han?'"

"Oh it's a sad tale, really. He seemed to be the most affected human I knew. He had lost so much. His sons, his wife, his life-long partner, Chewbacca. He even felt as though he lost his daughter."

Nastra perked up his head, "Jaina? The Sword of the Jedi? The slayer of Darth Caedus?"

"Yes, her own brother. Master Han always felt as though he lost her to the Empire."

Kieran, normally a master of his own emotion, let a small whimper through. "Wow, we…never read that in any of the records. It's so…sad."

"Oh, yes. In the end I think he died happy though. He still had his granddaughter, and she loved him to his dying breath."

Kieran let a small smile pass through his lips. "So, what happened to you after Han died?"

"Well, Mistress Allana ruled for many years. The Consortium became famous for their Jedi Queen, as the stories went, who ruled from the white throne as the friend of all species. Allana had her own child who became Queen Mother after her and then she too had children. One of them, the first born daughter became the next Queen Mother. One, a son, joined the Jedi Order. The last child, Ania Solo, left Hapes, rejecting both her heritage as a Jedi and royalty of Hapes."

"Ania left for the Outer Rim and at first, she took me with her."

"But you didn't finish the trip with her?" Nastra guessed.

"Correct. We were on our way when we were intercepted. It was during a war, I am not sure what you call it now…" Threepio looked questioningly, as much as a droid could, at Nastra. Nastra, realizing what it was the droid was asking for, pulled a small metallic chip from within his robes. Nastra inserted the chip into the droid's golden head.

Kieran saw what Nastra was doing and inserted a similar datachip into the cylindrical droid. They were now both completely updated with the most current specifications and galactic history.

"Thank you, Master Nastra. We were intercepted during the Second Imperial Civil War. Our captors were pirates, hoping to sell Mistress Ania to the Sith. Ania escaped but the cost was me. The pirates, disappointed, gave me over to their boss, a pirate named Rav. The pirates that captured me presented me to Rav. Rav saw no use for me and handed me over to another group of pirates, a blonde man and a dark skinned man. They blonde man seemed to recognize me, although I was quite sure I had never met him before."

Nastra and Kieran both looked at each other, realizing the same thing. "Threepio," Kieran hesitated. "I think that was Cade Skywalker you met. Check your new databanks. He's a descendant of Luke Skywalker."

Threepio paused, searching his new memory. Then he threw his hands in the air. "That was Master Luke's descadant? Thank the Maker!"

"So what happened then?"

The two men took me on their ship. The dark skinned one deactivated me and the next thing I knew I was in droid memory terminal being activated by my counterpart here."

Kieran thought about what the droid had said. "I suppose they must have dropped you off on this planet?"

"Droo-doee. Rata-scree-ooo."

See-Threepio looked surprised. "Really, Artoo?"

Neither Kieran nor Nastra were particularly good at droidspeak, preferring to have it translated for them over trying to decipher what the buzzing actually meant.

"According to Artoo, when he came aboard Cade's ship, he found my body discarded in the hold. It was destroyed beyond repair and he was unable to activate me."

"You were deactivated?"

"No. As it happens, I had my memory and personality backed up in a droid memory terminal during the Yuuzhan Vong War by Master Han. Eventually, Master Luke had the backup transferred to Ossus."

"So, your original body was destroyed sometime during your possession by Cade Skywalker but you lived on in a terminal on Ossus." Kieran reviewed.

"Dreeoot. Do rareet-doot."

Threepio translated Artoo's interjection. "And after Cade disappeared, Artoo returned to Ossus and joined me."

They had reached the part of the conversation Kieran was more interested about. "Why did you return to Ossus, Artoo? Where did you go?"

Artoo whistled a long explanation to Kieran.

"Artoo, says he can't tell you what happened to Cade because he doesn't know. One day, Cade told Artoo he was leaving and he wasn't coming back. So Artoo returned to the last place he had been before leaving with Cade, Ossus. Artoo wants to know how you knew to find us."

Kieran looked uneasy. "Um, well…our families found you, Artoo, about a century ago in the forest on Ossus, deactivated. They realized who you were and transferred you to a cavern underground, to hide you. They realized you might be the only connection to the lost Skywalker family. That's why I was looking for you. I had received a notice on my datapad triggered by your activation in the underground cavern. If you've been activated…then that must mean Skywalker is returning."

Kieran connected a few last wires in the rounded droid's chassis. Suddenly, Artoo backed up fast and began to whistle loudly.e

"_Toodle-dreet-deet!_"

Nastra looked at the protocol droid. "Threepio, what did he say?"

Threepio looked from his counterpart to the two Jedi. He let out the droid equivalent of a sigh and said, "We need to depart immediately for the Ankus system. Something is waiting for us there. And someone."


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Jogrum Katarn was the last to arrive in the Jedi Council Chambers. It was the dead of night on Ossus. All the Jedi Council members were physically present on Ossus, none of them by hologram. The gravity of the meeting fell on every single council member.

"Tonight, we have made a decision." Katarn stood up from his chair and began to walk around the circular chamber. "A decision that will change the fate of the galaxy forever. Despite opposition from _some _members of the council," Katarn stared daggers towards three Jedi close to the other end of the chamber. "we have made our choice. The question now remains: how?"

Twi'lek Viker Manuush jumped to his feet. "Master Katarn, I must-"

"_Grand _Master."

Beneath green lips, Manuush gritted his teeth. "Yes, _Grand _Master. We have served this galaxy faithfully for over 25,000 years. A declaration of war by the Jedi would only serve to undo all we have accomplished. Public opinion of the Jedi Order has never been higher in the history of the Alliance and the Old Republic!"

"Sit down, Manuush."

Manuush stood his ground set his voice into a mocking tone, "_Master _Manuush."

A fire lit in Katarn's eyes and he raised his hand. Dipping slightly into the Force, Katarn forced Manuush back into his seat. "If public opinion really is with the Jedi, then the people will understand our reasons. It doesn't have to come to war."

Struggling to stand back up, Manuush cried. "But it will! The citizens of the galaxy aren't Jedi. They won't see it the way you do."

Getting ready to use the Force to shut Manuush's mouth, Katarn said pulled back his grip in the Force. He closed his eyes and breathed. _There is no passion, there is serenity_. "We, as the Jedi High Council have resolved to set a particular course of action. No one Jedi Council member has the power to overturn the rest. Nor," Katarn glanced towards the Horns, "do three."

"Grand Master," to Katarn's right, forceful as ever, Grottl spoke, "we have obviously reached an impasse on how to go about our plans. Our decisions will have a tremendous impact of the galaxy. In addition there is the _issue_" Grottl eyed his fellow council members. Although he didn't say it, everyone knew that Katarn and Grottl were referring to Katarn's destructive vision during the last Council meeting, "we discussed earlier. May I suggest we consult Wori-Ky?"

Katarn nodded. He extended his arm and with the Force, pressed down on a small, irregularly shaped button that was mounted on one of the corners of the holostation in the center of the room. A small beeping sound emitted from the button.

Several minutes of silence past. One of the Jedi Masters, a relatively young Bimm named Gren Ritaich, looked around to his fellow masters. His face was contorted in mask of confusion, but for some reason did not ask what was on his mind.

After another set of boring minutes, the side turbolift opened with a small whooshing sound. Wori-Ky stepped lightly into the chamber. She wore robes of deep purple, the color of wine, and where most humans would have eyes, the Miraluka had two unevenly tied pieces of cloth, a lighter shade of purple than her robes. Her light brown hair stopped where the cloth covered her eyes, except for the long ponytail that emerged from the center of her head and spilled down by her shoulder blades.

She extended her hands outward and the curtains lined around the chamber descended over all of the windows. With her further urging in the Force, the light of holostation in the center of room dulled and the station began to submerge into the floor. Fully tucked in a small circular crevice that had opened up for it below, a maroon circle identical to the rest of the carpet, covered the area where the station had been. Both artificial light and natural light disappeared and the Jedi Council Chamber was plunged in complete darkness.

All the twelve masters (Ritaich lagged behind the others in confusion) stood up and grabbed their lightsabers. Nearly simultaneously, the masters extended their saber arm and activated their weapons. A rainbow of colors shone brightly as the only source of light in the room, from Torrent Horn's brown blade to Suri Da-Boda's yellow blade to Curria Weslyanda's blue blade.

Her arms extended, Wori-Ky walked to the circle in the middle of the chamber, where the holostation was previously. The masters' lightsabers floated out of their hands and surrounded Wori-Ky in the air, shaped as a perfect circle.

Maintaining the hovering sources of light, Wori-Ky sat down in the circle. She assumed a meditative position, closed her eyes, and all of the masters felt an absence in the Force.

"What happened? Where did she go?" a panicked voice cried.

Katarn's brow furrowed momentarily until he realized who it was that had spoken. "Ah, Master Ritaich. You haven't experienced Wori-Ky's work with the council before."

"Lucky bastard." Muttered Grottl.

Ignoring the sandy blonde master, Katarn continued to address the Bimm. "Master Ritaich, Wori-Ky is perhaps the most accomplished seer this order has ever known. Excluding her, excuse me, normal visions of the future, Wori-Ky has several advanced methods of gazing forward from the present, of which these methods are to be utilized only in the presence of the Jedi Council."

Ritaich scrunched his snout in confusion and slightly twitched his elongated ears. "But she ceases to exist in the Force. Even flow-walking-"

"You know flow-walking is forbidden." Katarn said sharply, shuttering at the thought. "No, Wori-Ky is performing a technique she developed from the writings first Grand Master Skywalker. Secrets from his travels among the galaxy's Force-users."

Ritaich trembled several whiskers, the Bimm equivalent or raising an eyebrow. "I don't recall reading anything from Master Skywalker like this."

"These are from writing restricted to the Grand Master," Katarn glanced at the cold Miraluka and could feel a slight annoyance radiating in the Force from the Horns, "and those he chooses to share them with. She is beyond the shadows now, in the cradle of the Force itself now."

Katarn fell back into his seat after Ritaich showed no signs of asking another question. He took a deep breath and prepared for a long night.

Time passed slowly. Katarn could practically feel the inertia moving along his body like a Vong tizowyrm falling down him. Soon, the need for curtains to shut out the system's sun disappeared, although no one opted to raise them. After a time, Weslyanda stood up and used the side turbolift to descend from the tower. After several lengthy minutes, the Zeltron returned with an armful of food, which she proceeded force-feed to Wori-Ky and, after some difficulties, decided to Force-feed the food to the seer.

Time stretched farther and longer and, although they could not physically see it, the masters all could sense dawn approaching.

Around what Katarn believed to be midday, he pulled out a datapad from within his robes and typed a short message to Master Avogadro that informed the historian that the Council members would be indisposed for the remainder of the day.

By the time mid-afternoon reared its head, the Jedi all had small hunger pains in their stomach. Suri Da-Boda took the turbolift back to the surface and transported a large hovertray of food for the masters to consume.

Nighttime soon descended once again and many of the Master's began to feel a gnawing pain in their stomachs, long since having depleted the tray of food brought up by Da-Boda. Osias Farril and long since nodded off to sleep. In most normal situations, the Council members would have had to stay awake, Katarn lightly instructed his fellow masters to let the old Jedi rest.

During the time of time of night where seconds feel like hours and hours felt like eternity, the masters all felt a large presence in the Force appear in the void where Wori-Ky had not existed.

"Master Ritaich, wake up Master Hirdt." Katarn indicated towards the drowsy Bimm, "Inform her to ready the medical facility and have an apprentice and an IV come to bring down Wori-Ky.

As the Bimm left the chamber, Wori-Ky stirred on the floor. Having regained consciousness, the seer tried to stand up, but her feet collapsed under her and she feel back down to the floor. From beneath the cloth that masked her vestigial eyes, a faint glowing shone in the near-complete darkness. The Miraluka, now completely returned to the plane of the Force, opened her mouth and said in an inhuman voice. "Ask, and I shall answer."

"Wori-Ky," Katarn asked in the darkness. "how can our Order lead the galaxy into war, to achieve our birthright.

Wori-Ky's head was involuntarily thrust down towards he back. Shakily standing up, Wori-Ky spoke again in an inhuman voice. "I see a galaxy drowning in blood, cleansed by the fires of war and the ashes of destruction. The galaxy collapses in on itself and only the Jedi have the power to it. An enemy rises where an ally once was. A Force-user, heir to a great legacy, will fall from greatness. The balance will hang on his decisions and he will choose whether to restore the galaxy and abandon it. A hero will emerge from the Jedi Order, and only he will be able to stop the enemy of the Jedi and save the galaxy from the power of the dark side. The enemy takes arms against the Jedi and only the true Jedi have the power to save it."

Wori-Ky spasmed and collapsed once more onto the ground. The Masters' lightsaber all extinguished and each master summoned their weapons back to their hands, before shoving them onto their belts. Katarn extended his left arm and the glowpanels of the chamber flickered back on. Several masters raised their arms over their eyes to mask themselves from the sudden appearance of light. The circle where Wori-Ky had been disappeared and the chamber's holostation rose back into place.

Just as the light returned, Ritaich and Pael Orco, a Givin Apprentice and assistant to the Order's primary Healer, Hirdt, entered the room. Orco pushed a hovering gurney and, with the aid of the Force, loaded the unconsciousness Wori-Ky onto the gurney. Moving rapidly, Orco attached an IV attached to the gurney into Wori-Ky's wrist veins and rushed the Miraluka into the turbolift.

"This one doez not understand." Sim asked.

"It seems quite simple to me." Katarn said. "A new threat is approaching the galaxy, possibly the greatest enemy the Jedi have ever known."

"If we accept this, we must consider the identities of-"

"Masters," the holostation that had recently returned flickered on. "Chief of State Tam has just returned from a meeting in the Outer Rim and is requesting the Council's presence on Coruscant immediately."

Katarn raised an eyebrow at the Coruscanti official. Katarn looked down at the chrono beneath his brown sleeve. "Timely, particularly for Wori-Ky." He muttered. He turned his face back to the official. "The Jedi are rather busy at the minute, I don't believe we will be able to make it."

But, Masters," the official paused and shivered slightly before saying the next words shakily, "it's the Empire."

"Emperor's black bones!"

Everyone turned in surprise to the typically silent Osias Farril. The old Jedi looked positively frightened as Suri Da-Boda used the Force to shut the holostation off.

Katarn began to program his chair to descend to the surface. He turned to Scorpio and said quietly, "Prepare the ship."


End file.
